On Wednesday, Israel conducted airstrikes on the Gaza Strip as a retaliation against rocket fire from the region. This followed a significant two-day military operation in Jenin in the occupied West Bank, where forces have begun to withdraw.
The assault on a Jenin refugee camp led to the death of twelve Palestinians and one Israeli soldier. Marking Israel’s largest military operation in the West Bank in recent years, the assault involved hundreds of troops, drone strikes, and army bulldozers.
Meanwhile, a car ramming and stabbing attack in Tel Aviv injured seven people before the suspect was killed.
Findings from the Raid
The Israeli army uncovered militant hideouts, arms depots, and underground explosive storage during the raid. It also dismantled six explosives manufacturing facilities and three operational situation rooms, seizing many weapons hidden in various locations.
The Palestinian foreign ministry described the escalation as an “open war against the people of Jenin.” The Israeli aggression has drawn condemnation from the medical charity Doctors Without Borders, who reported tear gas firing inside a hospital in Jenin.
Jenin’s streets were lonely, with a general strike in place and the debris and burned roadblocks indicative of recent conflict. Around 3,000 people have reportedly fled their homes in the refugee camp since the assault began.
The Israeli-Palestinian conflict has worsened since last year, with recent attacks on Israelis and Jewish settler violence against Palestinians in the northern West Bank. The conflict further escalated under the Netanyahu government, which includes extreme-right allies.
In response to the violence, the United Nations, Hamas, and Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari have called for an end and protection of Palestinian rights. The Foreign Office (FO) has also condemned the recent Israeli raids and airstrikes in Jenin.
